Zaev: Albania is the friendliest country we have

Published: 14-03-2019, 16:13

Albania is the friendliest country we have. We are helping each other move forward in the future and ultimately, providing our citizens with better living conditions, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said during his visit to Tirana.

“This friendship has helped us improve many things, including a one-stop shop and bolstering confidence into our institutions,” Zaev said in an interview with Tirana’s Top Channel TV.

“The two countries have large capacities to accomplish many other things. This could bring job creation, rising GDP, as well as new markets for goods produced by our companies,” said PM Zaev.

Asked if there was a concrete plan with the Albanian government to expand economic cooperation and free movement of goods and people in the two countries, the PM said that it was necessary to improve all the infrastructural projects connecting the two countries.

PM Zaev stated that a project, estimated at €450 million, has been prepared regarding the Kicevo-Ohrid highway connecting the country with Albania. “We’ll start soon constructing the €530-million railway connecting Durres and Skopje. The ‘one-stop shop’ that will be hopefully inaugurated this summer, will cut time spent on borders by 50%,” he noted.

PM Zaev also said that efforts were made to pave the way for the opening of a border crossing on the Arbër Highway.

“If the countries in the region increased their cooperation, it would be highly valued by the EU before increasing its cooperation with us. It would be highly beneficial for the six Balkan countries,” Zaev said in his first interview for an Albanian TV station.